Automatic washing machine



' A ril 4, 1967 D. N. TOMA 3,312,087

AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE Filed April 26, 1965 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. DANIEL N. TO M A BY mwd HIS ATTORNEY April 4, 1967 D. N. TOMA AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE '2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1965 PNSE A PAUSE B PAUEE C l-WASH H F F o Kl l m A R ILI '10 a s m (w m M D l\ FIGB 39 L] L] U INVENTOR.

DANIEL N. TO MA ms ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,312,087 AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE Daniel N. Toma, Louisville, Ky., assiguor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 450,999 6 Claims. (Cl. 68-12) This invention relates to automatic washing machines, and more particularly to such machines having an improved extraction operation.

Automatic clothes washing machines customarily proceed through a sequence of operations including a washing step, a first extraction or drain step, a rinsing step and a final extraction or drain step. The drain steps may include either operation of a drain pump alone followed by simultaneous operation of the drain pump and rotation of the clothes basket or continuous simultaneous operation of the drain pump and rotation of the clothes basket. Each of the various steps of the sequence of operation is customarily timed and same arrangement of timer operated switches is utilized to shift from step to step.

A purely timed controlled operation has disadvantages in the drain step. Washing machines may be installed in locations which vary greatly as to the pressure head against which the drain pump must discharge the liquid. Therefore, a drain stepor period which is good for a low drain head installation is inadequate for a high drain head installation and a drain period which is sufficient for a high drain head installation wastes time and energy in a low drain head installation. The pumps normally incorporated in automatic washers can easily pump out all the liquid extracted from the clothes by rotation of the basket during the terminal portions of the drain steps. Therefore, the variance in desirable extraction periods results primarily from the different times required to empty the standing body of liquid from the machine.

Most of the dirt and other soiling agents removed from the clothes become suspended in the washing liquid. Therefore, if too much Washing liquid is allowed to remain in the machine at the end of the washing step, that is, too high a percentage of liquid retention by the clothes, the washing and rinsing are not completely effective and the dirt is redeposited on the fabrics. If the liquid retention percentage is about 300% or higher this effect is very noticeable. On the other hand, as the liquid retention percentage gets low the liquid is forced through the closely packed fabrics, which act as a filter. This is particularly troublesome in perforate basket machines. In such machines the liquid drains from the basket through a number of relatively small, spaced openings. The fabric portions adjacent the openings tend to filter out large concentrations of dirt, which gives the fabrics a polka dotted look. This effect becomes very noticeable at about 80% liquid retention and below.

It has been found that the best washing results will be obtained if the wash liquid retention is about 150%. With such a percentage of retention the clothes are what might be called a sodden mass. This state occurs in perforate basket machines at about the time the level of liquid in the tub reaches the bottom of the basket. Because of differences in pumping rates from installation to installation it is impossible to provide a pure timed cycle which will stop the wash drain step on all machines at this point. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved automatic washing machine for providing optimum cleaning of fabrics.

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Another object of this invention is to provide such a machine in which the wash drain step provides an opti mum liquid retention percentage by the clothes in the machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a machine in which the initial portion of the drain periods of operation are responsive to the liquid level in the machine and the terminal portions are timer controlled.

In carrying out my invention, in one form thereof, I provide an automatic fabric washing machine including an imperfora-te liquid receiving tub having a perforate clothes receiving basket mounted Within the tub and Washing means to effect washing of fabrics in the basket. Both the basket and the washing means are operated by a reversible drain means, when operated in one direction the drive means causes operation of the washing means and, when operated in the other direction, causes rotation of the clothes basket. In addition, operation of the drive means in the one direction causes a first reversible pump to take water from the tub adjacent the bottom thereof and discharge it back into the tub adjacent the top thereof. By the same token, rotation of the drive means in the other direction causes a second reversible pump to draw liquid from the tub through an opening at the bottom thereof and discharge it through an outlet adapted to be connected to drain.

Together with this structure I provide sequence control means including a timer for causing predetermined periods of operation of said washing means and then simultaneous rotation of the basket and operation of the second drain pump. Additionally, I provide liquid sensitive control means, including a negative temperature coefiicient thermistor exposed to the interior of the tub, to deactivate the timer at the beginning of operation of the drain pump and to reactivate the timer when the level of liquid in the tub drops below the thermistor.

The features of my invention which I believe to be novel are set forth with panticularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, FIGURE 1 is a schematic front elevational View of an automatic clothes washing machine incorporating my invention, the view being partly in section to illustrate details;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic diagram of an electrical control circuit incorporating my invention, which circuit is incor orated in the machine of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a schematic view of a development of the cam surfaces used in the control of the timer operated switches of FIGURE 2, thereby indicating the sequence of operation of the switches by cams throughout a cycle.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, there is shown in schematic form, an agitator" type Washing machine, generally indicated by the numeral 1. Machine 1 includes a clothes basket 2 having perforations 3 over its side and bottom walls and disposed within an outer imperforate tube or casing 4, the basket 2 and tub 4 forming liquid and clothes containing means. The entire structure is generally mounted within a suitable appearance and protective cabinet which, in this case, has been omitted for purposes of clarity.

At the center of basket 2 there is provided a vertical axis agitator 5 which includes a center post 6 and a plurality of curved vanes 7 extending out from the center post and connected at their base by a flared skirt 8. Both basket 2 and agitator are movably mounted. Conventionally the basket is mounted for rotation and the agitator is mounted for some type of oscillatory motion which will effect a washing action on the clothes in the basket. In one conventional structure, basket 2 may be secured to a hollow shaft member 9, and the agitator may be secured to a shaft 10 which extends up within shaft 9 in rotatable relation thereto. Basket 2 and agitator 5 are driven from a reversible drive motor 11 through a drive including a clutch 12 mounted on the motor shaft. Clutch 12 allows the motor to start without a load and then pick up the load as it comes up to speed. A suitable belt 13 transmits power to a transmission assembly 14 through a pulley 15. Thus, depending upon the direction of motor rotation, pulley 15 of transmission 14 is driven in opposite directions.

Transmission 14 is so arranged that it supports and drives both shafts 9 and 10. When motor 11 is rotated in one direction the transmission causes agitator 5 to be oscillated through shaft 10. Conversely, when the motor is driven in the opposite direction, the transmission drives basket 2 and agitator 5 together at a high speed through shafts 9 and 10 for centrifugal extraction of liquid from the clothes. While the particular form of drive means does not form a part of the present invention, reference is made to Patent 2,844,225 issued on July 22, 1958 to James R. Hubbard et al., and owned by the General Electric Company, assignee of the present invention. That patent discloses in detail the structural characteristics of a transmission suitable for use in the illustrated machine.

In addition to operating transmission 14 as described, motor 11 also provides a direct drive through a flexible coupling 16 to a pump structure generally indicated at 17, which may include two separate pump units 18 and 19, both operated simultaneously in the same direction by motor 11. Pump unit 18 has an inlet which is connected by a conduit 20 to an opening 21 formed in the lowermost point of tub 4. Pump unit 18 also has an outlet which is connected by a conduit 22 to a suitable drain (not shown). Pump unit 19 has an inlet connected by a conduit 23 to the interior of tub 4 and an outlet connected by a conduit 24 to a nozzle 25 disposed at the top of the tub. Each of the pump units 18 and 19 is substantially inoperative in the direction of rotation in which it is not used.

Nozzle 25 is positioned to discharge into a filter pan 26 secured on the top portion 27 of agitator 5 so as to be movable therewith. By this structure, when the motor is rotated so as to provide agitation, pump unit 19 draws liquid from tub 4 through conduit 23 and discharges it through conduit 24 so that the liquid passes from nozzle 25 into filter pan 26 and then down through a number of small openings (not shown) provided in the bottom of the filter pan and back into basket 2. In this manner, the filter pan 26 with its small openings and its upstanding side wall 26a causes lint which is separated from the clothes during the washing operation to be filtered out of the clothes and thus prevents it from being redeposited on the clothes. The type of structure is more fully described and claimed in Patent No. 2,481,979 issued to Russell H. Colley on Sept. 13, 1949 and assigned to the General Electric Company, assignee of the present invention.

During a typical cycle of operation of machine 1, water is introduced into the tub 4 and basket 2 and then agitator 5 is oscillated back and forth on its axis, that is, in a horizontal plane within the basket. This causes washing of the clothes by effecting relative motion of the clothes in the water, as well as causing suitable flexing of the fabric of the clothes. During this period of washing or agitation, the water is removed from the tub through conduit 23 and is reintroduced through conduit 24, nozzle 25, filter pan 26. Then, after a predetermined period of this washing action, basket 2 and agitator 5 are rotated at high speed to extract centrifugally the wash water from the clothes and discharge it to drain. During this period of drain or centrifugal extraction the liquid is removed from the tub 4 through opening 21 and conduit 20 and discharged to drain through conduit 22. Since pump unit 18 operates at a constant pressure the length of time required for pump unit 18 to substantially drain the liquid from the tub 4 and discharge it to drain will depend upon the drain head against which pump unit 18 must work. Following this extraction operation clean water is introduced into the basket for rinsing the clothes and the agitator is again oscillated. Finally, the basket and agitator are once more rotated to extract the rinse water.

The level to which water rises in the basket 2 and tub 4 may be controlled by any suitable liquid level sensing means. One typical mechanism for doing this is the pressure operated switch 28 which is positioned on the bottom portion of tub 4. In the conventional manner, as the water rises in basket 2 and tub 4 it exerts an ever increasing pressure on the switch 28 and, when the liquid reaches a predetermined level, pressure sensitive switch 28 is effective to shut off the water inlet valve generally indicated at 29.

Valve 29 is adapted to supply hot and cold water to the machine, the valve being connected to hot and cold water sources (not shown) by conduits 30 and 31. The valve 29 may have solenoids 32 and 33 so that energization of solenoid 32 permits passage of hot water through the valve, energization of solenoid 3 3 permits passage of cold water through the valve, and energization of both solenoids permit-s mixing of hot and cold water in the valve and the passage of warm water therefrom through an outlet conduit 34 extending from the valve. Conduit 34 is positioned to discharge water into a water inlet nozzle 35 mounted near the upper edge of tub 4. The water inlet nozzle directs the water into tub 4 and basket 2 so as to fill them.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the electrical sequence control system for the machine of FIGURE 1 will be described. In connection with the circuit of FIGURE 2, it will *be understood that present-day washers often include various improvements such as control panel lights, bleach and rinse agent dispensers which do not relate to the present invention and to some extent these have been omitted for the sake of simplicity and ease of understanding.

In order to control the sequence of operation of the components of machine 1, the circuit includes a timer motor 38 driving a plurality of ca ms 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43. These cams, during their rotation by the timer rnoto-r, actuate various switches (as will be described), causing the machine to pass through an appropriate cycle of operations, first washing the clothes and then extracting the wash water, then rinsing the clothes in clean 'water and finally extracting the rinse water from the clothes. The operating surfaces of the different cams are shown in de-- veloped form in FIGURE 3 and will be further discussed herebelow in connection with the description of the operation of the machine.

The electric circuit as a whole is adapted to be energized.

from a power supply (not shown) through a pair of com ductors 44 and 45. Ca m 39 controls a switch 46 which:

includes contacts 47, 48 and 49; when the cam has assumed a position where all three contacts are separated, the machine 1 is disconnected from the power source and is inoperative. When the operation of machine 1 is to be initiated, as will be explained below, switch 46 is controlled through cam 39 by a manual control so that contacts 47 and 48 are engaged. When the main switch 50 is closed, by a manual control, power is provided to the control circuit of the machine from conductor 44 through contacts 47 and 48. From contact 48 the cir-- creases until switch 28 closes.

cuit extends through a conductor 51 and a manually operated switch 52 to the valve control solenoid 36. In addition, a circuit is completed from conductor 51 through a switch 53 controlled by cam 40. In the U-p position, switch 53 completes a circuit for solenoid 33 independently of switch 52, and in the Down position shown, the switch 53 completes a circuit for solenoid 32. Thus, when switch 52 is open, energization of solenoids 32 and 33 is under the control of switch 53, but when switch 52 is closed, the cold water solenoid 33 may be energized independently of the position of switch '53.

From the hot and cold water solenoids, the energizing circuit then extends through a conductor 54, then a coil 55 of a relay 56, the main winding 57 for motor 1'1, a conventional motor protector 58, a switch 59 controlled by cam 42, switch 50, and the conductor 45. Motor 11 is of the conventional type which is provided with a start winding 60 which assists the main winding 57 during the starting of the motor and is energized in parallel there with. When a relatively high current passes through the relay coil 55 it causes the relay contact 61 to be closed; this permits an energizing circuit for the start winding to be completed in parallel with the main winding through a contact 62 of a switch generally indicated at 63 and which is controlled by cam 41, contact arm 64, relay contact 61, the start winding 60, a contact arm 65 and a contact 66 of switch 63. Relay coil 55 is designed to close contact 61 when a relatively high current, of the level demanded of the motor when the motor is rotating below a predetermined speed, is passing through it. At other times, when there is no current passing through the relay coil 55 or when the current is below the required energizing level (as is true in the running speed range of the motor), the contact 61 is opened.

A circuit is completed in parallel with motor 11 through the timer motor 38, contact arm 67 (controlled by cam 43) and contact 68. When contact arm 67 is moved away from contact 68 and into engagement with contact 69 timer motor 38 is interconnected with a liquid sensitive control circuit including the series arrangement of a capacitor 70, a negative temperature coefiicient thermistor 71 and a resistance 72. Timer motor 3-8 is connected in parallel with this series arrangement of elements by parallel circuit having a diode 73 and a silicon controlled rectifier 74. Additionally, the gate of the rectifier 74 is connected between the capacitor 70 and thermistor 71 by means of a neon lamp 75. By way of example a suitable liquid sensing circuit may include a ..2 microfarad condenser, a negative temperature coefiicient thermistor having a 100,000 ohm maximum resistance, a 10,000 ohm resistor, a General Electric NE83 neon lamp, a General Electric C22B silicon controlled rectifier and a General Electric AlOB diode.

When the main win-ding 57 of motor 11 is in series with the valve solenoids 32 and 33, as described, a much lower impedance is presented in the circuit by the motor 11 than is presented by the valve solenoids. As a result, the greater portion of the supply voltageis taken up across the solenoids and relatively little across the motor. This causes whichever of the solenoids is connected in the circuit to be energized sufiiciently to open its associated water valve. As a result, water at a selected temperature is admitted to the machine through inlet 35, motors '11 and 38 remaining inactive. This action continues, with the circuitry thus arranged, so that water pours into the basket 2 and tub 4. Because of the perforations 3, the water rises in both the basket and tub at the same rate. The head of water acting on pressure switch 28 in- This provides a short circuit across the solenoids directly from conductor 51 to conductor. 54 so that, with the solenoids thus excluded from the efiective circuit they become de-energized and a high potential drop is provided across the winding 57 of motor 1 1. This causes the relay coil 55 to close contact 61 to start the motor 11, while, at the same time, timer motor 38 starts (assuming contact arm 67 to be in engagement with contact 68) so as to initiate a sequence of operation. It will be observed that theenergization of valve solenoids 32 and 3-3 on the one hand, and the energization of drive motor 11 on the other hand, are alternative in nature.

The switch 59 is in series with the main motor and is controlled by cam 42. Thus, by the opening of switch 59 the energization of motor 11 may be stopped. The timer motor will continue to operate, though, as a result of the fact that the timer motor 38 is deliberately provided with an impedance much greater than that of the valve solenoids so that it will take up most of the supply of voltage.

A further point of the circuit of FIGURE 2 is that, when switch arms 64 and 65 are moved by cam 41 to engage contact 66 and a contact 76 respectively, the polarity of the start winding is reversed with respect to the main winding. The circuit from conductor 54 then proceeds through contact 76; contact arm 65, start winding 60, relay contact 61, contact arm 64, and contact 66 to the protective device '58 and conductor 45. Thus, provided motor 11 is stopped or slowed down so that relay contact 61 is closed, the reversal of switch 63 is effective to cause the motor 11 to rotate in the opposite direction when the motor is started up again.

In order to energize motor 11 independently of the water level switch 28 and the valve solenoids, so that a drain operation may be provided without regard to the absence of the predetermined water level, cam 39 is formed so that it may close all three contacts 47, 48 and 49 of switch 46 during drain steps. When this occurs, it causes the power to be supplied from conductor 44 direct- 1y through contact 49 to conductor 54 and the motors rather than the water level switch or the valve solenoids.

Referring now to FIGURE 3 in conjunction with BIG- UR-ES 1 and 2, a cycle of operation of machine 1 will be described to illustrate the manner in which the improved structure and circuitry of my invention effect their intended purpose. It will be assumed that cam 39 has caused contacts 47 and 48 of switch 46 to be closed, cam 40 has caused contact 53 to move to the Down position, cam 41 has caused contact arms 64 and 65 to engage contacts 62 and 66 respectively, cam 42 has closed contact 59 and cam 43 has cause contact arm 67 to engage contact 68. Also, it is assumed that the operator has poured a suitable amount of granular or flake-type detergent or soap into filter pan 26. At this point, the first step which takes place, because of the aforementioned impedance relationship, is the filling of the machine with water by the energization of either solenoid 32 alone to cause hot water to be provided or else, if switch 52 has been manually closed, by the ener-gization of solenoids 32 and 33 together to cause warm water to be provided to the machine. The energization of the solenoids causes motors 11 and 38 to remain inactive and this status continues until a level of water in tub 4 and basket 2 becomes high enough to cause closure of pressure switch 28.

At this point, the solenoids are d e-energized and, consequentially, motors 11 and 38 are energized. The energization of motor 11 is in the direction of agitation operation because of switch 63. During this agitation operation pump unit 19 moves liquid from the lower portion of tub 4 and discharges it through nozzle 25 and filter pan 26 back into the top of basket 2, thus introducing detergent or soap into the liquid.

This combined action, which conventionally is called the Wash, Wash Sequence or Wash Step continues for a predetermined time until pause A is reached, at which time cam 42 opens switch 59. This stops operation of motor 11 and consequentially there is no further agitation. During pause A, cam '3? closes all three contacts 47, 48 and 49. Also, at this time cam 41 reverses the position of the contact arm of switch 63. This reversal of switch 63 reverses the polarity of start winding 60 relative to main winding 57. Then, cam 42 recloses switch 59 and motor 11 is energized once again, but in the opposite direction. Finally, cam 43 causes contact arm 67 to be disengaged from contact 68 and move into engagement with contact 69.

The energization of motor 11 and the de-ener-gization of valve solenoids results from the fact that the valve solenoids are bypassed by the new connection of switch 46. As a result of the opposite rotation of motor 11, the motor causes a drain operation in which basket 2 is rotated concurrently with the operation of the pumping unit 18. The spin or rotation of basket 2 slowly accelerates because of the slippage provided by clutch 12 until the basket reaches a terminal speed in the order of 600 rpm. which is effective to extract a very substantial part of the liquid from the clothes.

In order to provide for the proper liquid retention percentage in the clothes and to compensate for different drain pressures for different machine installations the liquid sensitive control circuit effectively de-energizes timer motor 38 during the initial portion of the drain operation. To this end it will be noted that diode 73 will always allow current of one polarity to pass through motor 38 while silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) 74 will allow current of the other polarity to pass only when the SOR is fired. In order to control the firing of the SOR in response to the liquid level in tub 4 and basket 2 the negative temperature coefiicient .thermistor 71 is placed in the tub at a height equal to the bottom of the basket. As long as the liquid level in the tub is above the thermistor the resistance of the thermistor is very high and a sufficient voltage will not build up across capacitor 79 in a one-half wave voltage cycle to trigger the neon lamp. Thus, SCR 74 will not fire and timer motor 38 will be energized on only half wave voltage, which is insufficient to cause rotation of the timer motor. When the liquid level in the tub drops below the thermistor 71 the resistance of the thermistor will quickly decrease to a point that a charge across capacitor 70 will quickly build up to a valve sufficient to cause conduction of neon lamp 75. When neon larnp 75 conducts SCR 74 tires. From this time on timer motor 38 is energized with essentially full wave voltage, one-half wave being provided through diode 73 and the other half wave being provided through SCR 74.

Since basket 2 will reach terminal spin speed shortly after the level of the liquid drops below the bottom of the basket and, since a liquid retention percentage of the clothes in the basket is approximately 150% at the time the, liquid level in the tub reaches the bottom of the basket, timer 38 quickly causes cam 42 to open switch 59, which provides pause B for the machine. Opening of switch 59 energizes motor 11 to stop the pumping action of drain pump unit 18 and to stop rotation of basket 2. At this time cam 39 returns switch 46 to the same position it had for wash, that is, with contact 49 disengaged from the other two contacts. Also, during this pause cam 40 moves switch 53 to its Up position so that the cold water solenoid is energized, cam 41 again reverses the position of switch 63, and cam 43 moves contact arm 67 into engagement with contact 68. Thus, when pause B is terminated by the reclosing of switch 59 by cam 42 the Rinse step starts.

First cold Water is introduced until pressure switch 28 is closed, at which time solenoid 33 is shorted out and motors 11 and 38 begin to rotate. The direction of rota tion of motor 11 is effective to cause oscillation of the agitator and recirculation of liquid by pump unit 19. This rinsing operation continues for a desired period of time, and then switch 59 is opened to provide pause C. During this pause all of the contacts of switch 46 are closed by cam 39, the contacts of switch 63 are again reversed and switch 59 is then closed to start a drain operation including concurrent spinning of basket 2 and operation of drain pump unit 18. Cam 43 immediately causes contact arm 67 to again move away from contacts 68 into engagement with contact 69. Thus, during the rinse drain, in a manner similar to the wash drain, the timer motor 38 is effectively made inoperative until the level of liquid in the tub 4 is reduced below thermistor 71. Almost immediately after this occurs timer motor 38 begins to rotate and the rinse drain continues until cams 39 and 42 have been rotated sufficiently to open switch S9 and all of the contacts of switch 46. This effectively completely de-energizes all components of the system.

in this manner, a complete sequence of operation is provided in which the sequence of filling, agitating, and draining is followed two separate times so as to provide a wash sequence and a rinse sequence, the drain operation at the end of the wash sequence is quickly stopped after the liquid level is reduced to a point below the bottom of the clothes basket so as to provide optimum water retention by the clothes while the drain operation after the rinse step continues for a predetermined period of time after the water is reduced below the basket so that the basket will rotate for a predetermined period of time at terminal speed to Spin-Dry the clothes.

It will be obvious that a third step or sequence could be provided before the wash in order to pre-soak the clothes prior to Washing them either with or Without an appropriate soap or detergent. Should my new and improved automatic washer be used to provide a three repetition sequence of operation, both the soak and the wash step should be followed by the liquid level controlled drain step described herein for the washing sequence.

It will be understood that, while in accordance with the Patent Statutes, I have described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A fabric washing machine for providing an automatic washing cycle comprising:

(a) an imperforate tub to receive washing and rinsing liquid;

(b) a perforate basket mounted in said tub to receive fabrics to be washed in the liquid;

(c) washing means arranged to effect Washing of fabrics in said basket;

((1) a drain pump for removing vitiated liquid from said tub;

(e) sequence control means including a timer for causing predetermined periods of operation of said washing means and then said drain pump;

(f) liquid sensitive control means for controlling said timer, said liquid sensitive control means including a negative temperature coefficient thermistor exposed to the interior of said tub;

(g) a timer operated switch effective to interconnect said timer and said liquid sensitive control means at the beginning of drain pump operation;

(h) said liquid sensitive control means thereafter being effective to deactivate said timer and being responsive to the level of liquid in said tub dropping below said basket to reactivate said timer.

2. A fabric washing machine for providing an automatic washing cycle comprising:

(a) an imperforate tub to receive washing and rinsing liquid;

(b) a perforate basket rotatably mounted in said tub to receive fabrics to be washed in the liquid;

(c) washing means arranged to effect washing of fabrics in said basket; 7

(d) a drain pump for removing vitiated liquid from said tub;

(e) sequence control means including a timer for causing a sequence of operation having a predetermined period of agitation including operation of said washing means followed by a period of drain including simultaneous rotation of said basket and operation of said drain pump, said sequence control means being effective to cause said sequence of operation to be repeated for washing and rinsing fabrics;

(f) liquid sensitive control means for controlling said timer;

(g) a timer operated switch effective to interconnect said timer and said liquid sensitive control means at the beginning of each of said periods of drain;

(h) said liquid sensitive control means thereafter being effective to deactivate said timer and being responsive to the level of liquid in said tub dropping below a predetermined position to reactivate said timer;

(i) said timer being adapted upon reactiviation during wash drain to immediately terminate the period of drain and being adapted upon reactivation during rinse drain to continue the period of drain for a predetermined length of time.

3. A fabric washing machine for providing an automatic washing cycle comprising:

(a) an imperforate tube to receive washing and rising liquid;

(b) a perforate basket rotatably mounted in said tub to receive fabrics to be washed in the liquid;

(c) washing means arranged to effect washing of fabrics in said basket;

(d) a drain pump for removing vitiated liquid from said tub;

(e) sequence control means including a timer for causing a sequence of operation having a predetermined period of agitation including operation of said washing means followed by a period of drain including simultaneous rotation of said basket and operation of said drain pump, said sequence control means being effective to cause said sequence of operation to be repeated for washing and rinsing fabrics;

(f) liquid sensitive control means for controlling said timer;

(g) a timer operated switch effective to interconnect said timer and said liquid sensitive control means at the beginning of each of said periods of drain;

(b) said liquid sensitive control means thereafter being effective to deactivate said timer and being responsive to the level of liquid in said tub dropping below a position substantially equivalent to 150% water retention by fabrics in said basket to reactivate said timer;

(i) said timer being adapted upon reactivation during wash drain to immediately terminate the period of drain and being adapted upon reactivation during rinse drain to continue the period of drain for a predetermined length of time.

4. A fabric washing machine for providing an automatic washing cycle comprising:

(a) an imperforate tube to receive washing and rising liquid;

(b) a perforate basket rotatably mounted in said tub to receive fabrics to be washed in the liquid;

(c) washing means arranged to effect washing of fabrics in said basket;

(d) a drain pump for removing vitiated liquid from said tub;

(e) sequence control means including a timer for causing a sequence of operation having a predetermined period of agitation including operation of said washing means followed by a period of drain including simultaneous rotation of said basket and operation of said drain pump, said sequence control means being effective to cause said sequence of operation to be repeated for washing and rinsing fabrics;

(f) liquid sensitive control means for controlling said timer;

(g) a timer operated switch effective to interconnect said timer and said liquid sensitive control means at the beginning of each of said periods of drain;

(h) said liquid sensitive control means thereafter being effective to deactivate said timer and being responsive to the level of liquid in said tub dropping below said basket to reactivate said timer;

(i) said timer being adapted upon reactivation during wash drain to immediately terminate the period of drain and being adapted upon reactivation during rinse drain to continue the period of drain for a predeter-mined length of time.

5. A fabric washing machine for providing an automatic Washing cycle comprising:

(a) an imperforate tube to receive washing and rising liquid;

(b) a perforate basket rotatably mounted in said tub to receive fabrics to be washed in the liquid;

(c) washing means arranged to effect washing of fabrics in said basket;

(d) a drain pump for removing vitiated liquid from said tub;

(e) sequence control means including a timer for causing a sequence of operation having a predetermined period of agitation including operation of said washing means followed by a period of drain including simultaneous rotation of said basket and operation of said drain pump, said sequence control means being effective to cause said sequence of operation to be repeated for washing and rinsing fabrics;

(f) liquid sensitive control means for controlling said timer, said liquid sensitive control means including a negative temperature coefficient thermistor exposed to the interior of said tub;

(g) a timer operated switch effective to interconnect said timer and said liquid sensitive control means at the beginning of each of said periods of drain;

(h) said liquid sensitive control means thereafter being effective to deactivate said timer and being responsive to the level of liquid in said tub dropping below said thermistor to reactivate said timer;

(i) said timer being adapted upon reactivation during wash drain to immediately terminate the period of drain and being adapted upon reactivation during rinse drain to continue the period of drain for a predetermined length of time.

6. A fabric washing machine for providing an automatic washing cycle comprising:

(a) an imperforate tube to receive washing and rising liquid;

(b) a perforate basket rotatably mounted in said tub to receive fabrics to be washed in the liquid;

(0) washing means arranged to effect washing of fabrics in said basket;

(d) a drain pump for removing vitiated liquid from said tub;

(e) sequence control means including a timer for causing a sequence of operation having a predetermined period of agitation including operation of said washing means followed by a period of drain including simultaneous rotation of said basket and operation of said drain pump, said sequence control means being effective to cause said sequence of operation to be repeated for washing and rinsing fabrics;

(f) liquid sensitive control means for controlling said timer, said liquid sensitive control means including a negative temperature coefficient thermistor exposed to the interior of said tub at a position substantially even with the bottom of said basket;

(g) a timer operated switch effective to interconnect said timer and said liquid sensitive control means at the beginning of each of said periods of drain;

(h) said liquid sensitive control means thereafter being effective to deactivate said timer and being re- 1 1 1 2 spon-sive to the -level of liquid in said tub dropping References Cited by the Examiner below said thermistor to reactivate said timer; UNITED STATES PATENTS (i) said timer being adapted upon reactivation during Wash drain to immediately terminate the period 2,636,372 4/1953 Rand 68 12 of drain and being adapted upon reactivation during 5 3111017 11/1263 Searlfi 68*208 X rinse drain to continue the period of drain for a pre- 3124145 3/1/64 Egle Z5 determined length of time Kneer WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FABRIC WASHING MACHINE FOR PROVIDING AN AUTOMATIC WASHING CYCLE COMPRISING: (A) AN IMPERFORATE TUB TO RECEIVE WASHING AND RINSING LIQUID; (B) PERFORATE BASKET MOUNTED IN AID TUB TO RECEIVE FABRICS TO BE WASHED IN THE LIQUID; (C) WASHING MEANS ARRANGED TO EFFECT WASHING OF FABRICS IN SAID BASKET; (D) A DRAIN PUMP FOR REMOVING VITIATED LIQUID FROM SAID TUB; (E) SEQUENCE CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING A TIMER FOR CAUSING PREDETERMINED PERIODS OF OPERATION OF SAID WASHING MEANS AND THEN SAID DRAIN PUMP; (F) LIQUID SENSITIVE CONTROL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING SAID TIMER, SAID LIQUID SENSITIVE CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING A NEGATIVE TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT THERMISTOR EXPOSED TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID TUB; (G) A TIMER OPERATED SWITCH EFFETIVE TO INTERCONNECT SAID TIMER AND SAID LIQUID SENSITIVE CONTROL MEANS AT THE BEGINNING OF DRAIN PUMP OPERATION; (H) SAID LIQUID SESITIVE CONTROL MEANS THEREAFTER BEING EFFECTIVE TO DEACTIVATE SAID TIMER AND BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE LEVEL OF LIQUID IN SAID TUB DROPPING BELOW SAID BASKET TO REACTIVATE SAID TIMER. 